SAN FRANCISCO MARCH 16, 2000 - In a welcoming of spring and Earth Day on March
19, San Francisco's National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi will join people
at sites around the world in the ringing of bells for peace.

The event will take place here at 11:35 PM in conjunction with a ringing of an
Official Peace Bell at the United Nations in NYC at 2:35 AM, EST.

The festivities at the shrine will be led by John McConnell who established
Earth Day in San Francisco 30 yrs ago.

St. Francis of Assisi Shrine, located at 610 Vallejo at Columbus in North
Beach, is entrusted to the conventional Franciscan Community. Fr Steven Gross,
OFM Conv., is rector.